Badhulipar Murder: Victim’s Wife Dies, Fear Grips Budhagaon Village

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: In the aftermath of the brutal murder that recently shook Badhulipar under the Dergaon Police Station in Golaghat district, victim Soneswar Gogoi’s wife, Devi Gogoi (55 years), who was under treatment at Jorhat Medical College, passed away in the early hours on Thursday. Budhagaon has been shrouded in silence for three days. Locals are so terrified they fear opening their doors.

The police have arrested the murderer, Santosh Ghatowar, on the day of the incident and recovered the wooden bat used in the killings. Since 2021, six members of the Gogoi family in Budhagaon have been killed in the same manner. On November 22, 2021, Raju Gogoi was murdered. On August 2, 2023, Rina Gogoi, Raju’s mother, was killed. On January 23, 2024, Rina’s husband, Kosheswar Gogoi, was murdered. On April 22, 2025, Badan Gogoi’s wife, Pramila Gogoi, was killed, all in their own homes. No arrests were made in any of these earlier cases.

On Tuesday, both husband and wife (Soneswar and Devi) were murdered and Soneswar’s nephew narrowly escaped death. Hearing screams, he ran to the scene but, shocked by the brutality, fled to save his life.

The killer beat the couple to death with a wooden bat, changed out of his blood-stained clothes a short distance away, and then went to a nearby field to plough with a tractor, pretending normalcy. Police arrested Santosh Ghatowar from that field. He had a close relationship with the victims’ family and had even shared grilled bird meat with them the previous day. The motive appears to be theft. Santosh came to steal money the family had earned from selling a tree. When Devi confronted him while he was searching their cupboard, he attacked her.

Locals blame the authorities’ failure to properly investigate the earlier murders, allowing this week’s tragedy to happen. They are demanding that Santosh’s father and other family members also be brought under investigation. Reportedly, after committing the murders, Santosh went to a nearby Kali temple to offer prayers. Police continue to interrogate him over the last three days. Locals are demanding the death penalty for Santosh. Many believe he was involved in the previous murders as well.

The Ghatowar family, including Santosh, worked on the farmlands of the Gogois and did household chores. With Soneswar’s only daughter already married and living elsewhere, the family home now lies desolate. Devi Gogoi’s body has been sent for postmortem, and the police are trying to console the grieving family.

Also Read: Assam: Dhubri Launches “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan” to Boost Kharif Farming

Also watch :